


Interludes

by Sarek and Amanda Archive Maintainer (Selek)



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: F/M, T'Kuht
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-22
Updated: 2013-03-22
Packaged: 2017-12-06 03:22:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/730949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selek/pseuds/Sarek%20and%20Amanda%20Archive%20Maintainer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequence of events between Sarek's heart attack and the scene in sickbay in Journey to Babel.</p><p>Written by T'Kuht.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mamma Mia

Interludes: Mamma Mia

By T'Kuht

Christine Chapel was working on the long list of crew updates that McCoy had ‘left’ for her to work on while he went and welcomed the various ambassadors aboard. He had looked so damnably uncomfortable in his dress uniform that she nearly laughed aloud. She loved Leonard deeply as a father figure, but she still liked to pick at him a little. He teased her with tenderness and she returned the sentiments. She was still chuckling over the sight when she heard the object of her humor arriving in his office. He was obviously trying to find something to drink, "Well, I’ll be damned. Christine, you’ll never believe this...you gotta have a drink."

Christine headed out to see what the fuss was. She leaned against the doorframe, relaxed and jaunty, "My goodness, a little early for the bottle isn’t it?"

"Here, drink this. You’re gonna need it," he insisted and the blonde brows knitted together with a little worry. "Oh, it’s nothing serious but guess who just came aboard..."

She thought for a moment and tried to remember where they were, Vulcan... "Let me see the Vulcan ambassador and his party?"

"And guess who the Vulcan ambassador is, or...why don’t you know already."

She just shook her head in confusion, "Really Leonard, you are babbling. What are you trying to get at?"

"Spock’s parents are on board and boy is there a lot of heat there. You should see his mother, she is so...well, she’s lovely. Beautiful blue eyes, just like yours, and the most gorgeous silver hair you’ve ever seen. His father is pretty cold though. Apparently he and Spock don’t get along if the reception he gave his son is any indication," McCoy was saying and handed Chapel a glass with a shot of bourbon in it.

"Leonard, I’m on duty..." she began but his wave stopped her. Downing the contents in one gulp, she coughed, "That’s awful!"

"It gets the job done a lot faster than that root beer schnapps you are always drinking. You need to drink if you’re going to indulge," he determined.

"I prefer to stay sober thank you," the blonde said quietly. She never drank to the point of stupefaction. The thought of Spock’s parents aboard was intriguing however. She was certain she’d not meet them or if she did it would be when they took the usual tour of the ship. Perhaps a little background check on Spock. After all, his crew physical was last week and needed to be updated anyway. Excusing herself to return to her duties, she pulled his up first.

Commander Spock exited engineering and headed for medical lab #5. The scene between he and his father was enough to make him think of at least fifteen experiments he could be doing while they were in route to Babel. With datapadd in hand, he entered the lab. Christine Chapel was checking the same experiment that he was going to. She was working with him on this particular variation of a cure for cordrazine. After the incident with McCoy at Gateway, they were intent upon getting an antidote for the drug if it was accidentally injected or too strong a dosage was used. So far, they’d had little success and with no one to try it on, it was practically a moot point. Still, Spock did not have to ask Christine Chapel twice whether she thought it a worthwhile endeavor. She had an immense sense of duty and single-mindedness when working on a new project. She was an invaluable asset to the ship’s research staff. She smiled as he entered. He had no idea that she knew who was aboard. "Mr. Spock, good afternoon."

"I see that you are also checking on our project. How is it coming?" he asked glad to have a logical topic to talk about.

"Oh, she’s perking away. I still don’t know how or who we’re going to test it on. I don’t trust simulations very well," she pointed out.

"Yes, I agree. It is too dangerous to risk on patients. So, we shall continue to use what methods we have until a need arises," Spock decided, but he wasn’t very pleased with that idea either. Christine took the vials out of the controlled environment to study them with her own eyes. Like McCoy she preferred the hands-on approach.

She was pointing something out to Spock when the door slid open. "And here is our Head Nurse...Christine Chapel," Dr. Leonard McCoy was saying as he led Lady Amanda and Captain James Kirk into the lab.

Christine recognized her immediately, even if she hadn’t read Spock’s bio. McCoy had described her precisely. She was so petite and fine boned compared to the younger woman’s height and strong features. Christine immediately liked her. They smiled at each other.

Spock‘s eyebrow rose. It was as if his mother was following him around the ship. However, he knew that she would have eventually toured sickbay. He nodded to her. His father was not with them. He did not ask. Jim Kirk was interested in this little exchange. Everyone on the ship, with the exception of about two people, knew the history of Spock and Christine. Here mother met female huntress.

Spock was strategically located between the two of them. Leonard McCoy was about to start rocking on his heels with glee at the situation. It was perfect...

Amanda Grayson noted the rather odd tone of the room. Spock might be Vulcan but his human half was just aching to tell her something. She allowed her eyes to roam the room for a moment before settling again on the lovely tall lady beside Spock, "I am Lady Amanda..."

Spock finished, "Miss Chapel, I would like to introduce my mother."

McCoy nearly fell over. Kirk had to look at Spock twice. Amanda even blinked at that one. Spock had never introduced her to a woman in that manner before. Yes, she knew what his human half wanted to tell him. But, did his Vulcan half understand even a tenth of that. Christine reacted as if she were meeting someone on the street, instead of the love of her life’s mother. She grinned broadly, "I am pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," Amanda answered with a touch of the New Jersey accent she had lost long ago. She liked her, a lot. If this was the woman Spock had chosen she was pleased. She could tell that Christine had the deep adoration that she held for Sarek. All she had to do was take a look in the depths of her eyes. Spock made no other comments to the nurse regarding personal matters. He did however ask Christine to explain what they were working on before the tour continued elsewhere, and he went to check on the computer downloads. He left a musing Christine in his wake.


	2. Head Games

Ambassador Sarek slowly came to in the ship’s sickbay. He had been medi-lifted there when the pains in his chest became so bad that he blacked out in his room. He knew what was wrong with him, but his personal healer had prescribed medication. The problem was, it was not working. There was a woman standing over him. She was tall, exceedingly tall for a human, and quite lovely. She noted the change in reading blips and looked down. With a trained smile, she said, "Ambassador."

"Nurse?" he asked wishing to know a name he could use.

"Christine Chapel," she answered and untucked a loose blanket edge. She had an easy way about her, but under it he could sense the nervousness that she kept hidden. He could see Amanda in the corner standing watching, waiting for some sign that things would be all right. Her face was drawn with the unknown. The tall nurse turned to her, "He’s awake. Are you in any pain Ambassador?"

"Can your bio-bed not tell you this?" he asked with a questioning glance so like his son’s.

"It shows that you are in pain, but I’ve worked with Dr. McCoy too long to trust these machines very far," she explained quietly.

"Then to answer your question, I am in pain. However it is controllable at this time," he answered. Glancing at Amanda he wished that he could speak to her. She was no doubt completely confused. She had no inkling that he had been ill. She could do nothing. Why should she be informed?

"Dr. McCoy should be here any moment. Is there anything I could get you in the meantime?" Chapel asked the smile still playing around her face, but behind the blue eyes, there was worry.

Sarek was surprised at her ability to mask her emotions. But, healers were often the most controlled of any species. "Am I allowed water?" he asked suddenly thirsty. He had been very thirsty since he’d been put on the medication for his heart.

"Yes," Christine answered and looked at Amanda. Since the incident with the flying plomeek, the nurse had looked into Vulcan class structure a bit more closely. It was not considered proper for her to serve even a glass of water to the Ambassador as long as his wife was present without her permission.

Amanda looked like she wanted to speak to her husband desperately. Coming forward, the petite, older human took the carafe from the side table. "Sarek?"

"My wife," he replied. Just his acknowledgment made her feel better, but her blood was running cold looking at him lying in the bed. Sarek had always been robust, and apart from the occasional ‘cold’, he had never been so ill he had to be bed ridden. As a show of support, she allowed a slight smile to grace her mouth, turn the corner of her eyes. The act seemed to calm Sarek. The heart monitor’s blip momentarily slowed a fraction. Handing him the cup, she held it longer than she needed to allow him to grasp her fingers. His temperature was cooler than normal and that alarmed him as well. She knew from what little medical experience that she had that it meant his heart was not pumping the blood correctly. Leonard McCoy’s entrance broke the quiet moment between the two.

"Well, how is my patient?" the southern gentleman said as he walked in. Amanda waited a second, locked eyes with the man, and moved to her place in the corner by the door. She didn’t want to be in the way. Christine Chapel walked over to her and said softly, "Please sit down. It might be some time."

With a stiff back of defiance, Amanda shook her head, "No, thank you. I’ll stand for now."

The nurse wanted to reach out, give the woman a hug, pat on the shoulder, something. But, she was a Vulcan’s wife and was conducting herself in a very controlled state. Christine had dealt with enough bereaved people that she knew if she made any move toward ‘human’ consoling Amanda might break down. So, the nurse did what she did best, smiled and nodded, "If you need anything, let me know. I’ll be here."

"Thank you," Amanda said.

McCoy was still looking at the readings. The problem was he wasn’t certain what he was reading. Whenever Spock had been brought in, it was almost easier to shove a tongue depressor down his throat and check his teeth to determine what was wrong with him than to try to read the bio-bed. He did know that the indicator read Sarek was in great pain, and he wasn’t controlling it very well. A sheen of what McCoy could only describe as sweat had begun to coat the Ambassador’s features and his face was beginning to turn an off shade of brown. In a human he would be turning grey. His breathing was also erratic like there was a weight on his chest. There might be a problem with the pleural sac. He just wasn’t dead sure what was the matter, but he did know it was serious.

The outer doors opened to allow Jim Kirk and Spock to enter. Stopping at the doorway, Kirk said, "Bones how is he?"

"Well, as far as I can tell from instrument readings, our prime suspect has a malfunction of one of the heart valves. It’s similar to a heart attack in humans, but with Vulcan physiology it’s impossible to tell without an operation. Mrs. Sarek, has he had any previous attacks?"

"No," she answered honestly.

"Yes," Sarek interjected from his bed. There was no hiding the truth any longer. The instant he said it he could see the hurt and confusion mixed with anger in his wife’s eyes and something also in his son’s. "There were three others. My physician prescribed Benjasidrene for the condition."

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Amanda demanded.

"There was nothing you could have done," he replied calmly, logically.

Amanda stood rooted to the spot she was on. He hadn’t told her he was ill. As if she’d been slapped in the face, she numbly walked to the table opposite him.

Chapel stayed beside her. From the woman’s posture and facial expression, she wondered if she’d be needed to keep Spock’s mother from fainting.

Amanda swayed slightly as she listened to Sarek tell of the different times he’d had attacks. He was ill. They should not be on the ship at all. She began to seethe with anger.

Spock’s voice brought her back to the task at hand. "Doctor, do you propose surgery for the heart defect?"

"Well, I’m not sure. It’s tough enough on a human. On a Vulcan an ordinary operation is out of the question," McCoy intoned trying to be at least a little optimistic. He didn’t do a good job of it.

"Why?"

Sarek answered, "Because of the construction of the Vulcan heart."

Spock replied sounding like a consulting physician, "I suggest a cyrogenic open heart procedure would be the logical approach."

"Yes, unquestionably," Sarek said.

Amanda felt like cheering. It was the first time they’d agreed on anything without questioning in 18 years and it would have to be a surgical procedure. Still, she held onto that slim hope that one agreement could lead to another in the future.

"Bones what about it?" Kirk asked. He had no clue what they were talking about, but it was his ship and he wanted no more deaths than had already occurred, even if it was from natural causes.

"Well I’m glad someone’s asking me something around here. The procedure they’re discussing would require tremendous amounts of blood for the patient."

Beside her, Amanda could feel the tenseness in the nurse’s shoulders before she stepped forward to interject, "Doctor, I’ve checked the blood bank, there isn’t enough Vulcan blood and plasma on board to even begin an operation of this type."

"There are other Vulcans aboard," Kirk added.

"My blood type is T-negative, somewhat rare, even for a Vulcan," Sarek replied adding another nail to his coffin. Amanda’s eyes closed a second to try to gather her thoughts. It was as if she could feel the grim reaper walk into the room.

"Yes, I’d say that’s rare," McCoy harrumphed.

Spock spoke with assurance, "My blood is T-negative doctor."

With a pained look Christine said, "We’ve run a number of blood tests on Mr. Spock. It isn’t true Vulcan blood either. It has …Human blood elements in it." She tried to look at Amanda to reassure her, tell her they’d find a way, but she found it nearly impossible. As a trained physician and nurse she knew the odds were getting slimmer and slimmer for Sarek’s recovery.

"It should be possible to filter out the Human factors," Spock replied defiantly. He would not allow his father to die in this fashion. Not while he could do something about it.

"Even you couldn’t give that much blood Spock, it would kill you," McCoy said forgetting that Amanda was standing in the same room.

Kirk nudged him, "Bones."

The very thought of losing her husband was torture and now to possibly lose both her husband and son was too much.

"Mrs. Sarek, you must understand the chances are extremely small to find a way to produce sufficient T-negative blood," McCoy consoled. Spock did not help matters, "Indeed, I would estimate the odds."

Disgusted with them all, Amanda allowed her control to slip for a moment, "Please don’t." Jim Kirk was beside her, gave her a supporting figure to focus on. She didn’t dare look at Sarek directly. She was so angry with him and hurt and confused that she didn’t know what she’d say to him. How could he have put his life in such jeopardy for a mission?

Sarek tried to offer help. "Would there be any research in the area that would assist in finding an answer?"

McCoy bit his lip, "There might be. We’ll have to go through several hours of tapes to find out. Spock, can you spare the time?"

"He’s off duty as of now," Jim Kirk commanded. It was little comfort, but it seemed to be the only thing he could do to help.

As if hit by a bolt of lightning, Amanda suddenly seemed to see the reason Sarek had come. Looking over at her husband she noticed him watching Spock, gauging his reactions, and how he handled himself. Sarek had taken the assignment to see Spock. Even though they had fought and argued for years over his choice of Star Fleet over the Vulcan Science Academy, Sarek wanted to see Spock. Perhaps her husband’s impending mortality had something to do with it. Feeling more hurt now than angry, she could focus on her husband instead of her own pain. Now, with Spock’s willingness to help his father, she could feel life again instead of the clammy hand of death at the sickbay door. And, if she were very, very lucky, perhaps she could once again have a family without strain. With a tired smile, she nodded at her husband as she stepped to his bed. She understood now. Two fingers extended, she said the only word he wished to hear, "Husband."


	3. Blood Is Much Thicker Than Water

Amanda Grayson was a contented woman. Her son lay in a bed on her right, her husband to her left. They were not arguing and in fact had engaged in a game of chess earlier in the evening. Sarek’s recovery from heart surgery was proceeding smoothly, and Spock would only be ‘stuck’ in sickbay overnight until he could return to duty. McCoy knew better than to try keeping him any longer than that. It would be worse than pulling teeth out of an adult warthog. Spock had not objected much. He was a little woozy and lightheaded and hadn’t been able to meditate or chase the feeling away. Now, they slept and she could watch them from her seat opposite them. Christine Chapel had arranged for her to have a comfortable lounge chair that laid back to become a bed while Sarek had been in the most danger. Now, she could probably go back to her cabin but wasn’t quite ready. She wanted to watch them both breathe. She’d nearly lost her world earlier in the day, and the illogical human wanted to memorize every line in their faces, every hair in place. Her husband had years ago become used to her staring at him for long periods. But Spock....she hadn’t seen him in four years and he had changed. He was so handsome, not the gangly awkward son she’d seen off to Starfleet 18 years ago. His features had finally solidified, and she knew he’d remain in this state for decades to come. She smiled to herself. He was gorgeous. She had always known he would be. Beside her, Captain James Kirk moaned a little in a fitful sleep. His injuries were troubling him a little, and deciding to stretch her legs she went to find the duty nurse.

Christine Chapel flexed the fingers in an effort to keep them limber for data entry. She preferred typing things in instead of using the voice coder while there were patients in sickbay. In this way they could not inadvertently overhear as McCoy had found out a couple of times. It was also easier for her to gather her thoughts the first time so that she didn’t have to backtrack later and change what she said. She could pause without being prompted by the computer for hesitation. It was also quieter when it was ship’s night. She was filling in the autopsy report with the security findings on the Orion spy. She glanced at the chronometer, it was nearly midnight, and she was ready for her shift to get over with. When there were surgical cases in sickbay, she usually put in 16-hour days and today had been full up. It had been hard to watch Spock’s father in so much distress and his poor mother...

The woman who she had just thought of appeared at the door, "Nurse Chapel, would it be possible to give the Captain something else for his pain?"

Christine frowned a little. He wasn’t due for another shot until 0200. "I can check on his readings. I don’t think Leonard will let me give him anything else."

Rising to check on the sickbay patients, she went in followed by Amanda. Jim’s readings were normal for a man recovering from a knife wound. He was in mild pain and had no fever. He was just restless. Christine said quietly, "The Captain is a lousy patient. We always have a little trouble with him. He doesn’t sleep well away from his own bunk apparently."

Amanda nodded. Spock had been a restless sleeper as a child. She always attributed it to itchy feet. Now, he slept still and deep. She found her eyes staying on her little boy. He wasn’t a little boy anymore. She longed to go and kiss him goodnight. She hadn’t done that since he was 6 and still able to waver between human and Vulcan cultures. Christine checked the other two and motioned for Amanda to come out to the anteroom. "They’re fine. Why don’t you get some sleep? I know you’re as tired as I am."

Amanda’s blue eyes smiled brightly at her, "You stay here a lot don’t you. Particularly when Spock is here?"

Christine stammered in the low light of McCoy’s office. She could barely meet Amanda’s eyes. She knew. It would do no good to lie or try to deceive her. She nodded reluctantly. They laughed to chase the tension away.

Amanda decided it was time to get out of sickbay for a while, "I think a cup of tea would be nice, would you like to join me before heading to bed?"

The blonde nodded eagerly. She’d wanted to just sit and talk to Amanda since she’d learned she’d come aboard. Now was her chance to ask about Spock and his childhood. They headed for the small mess hall that was closest to sickbay and between Christine’s quarters and her work. There was no one else here at this late hour. Even though the ship was on perpetual crew rotation, at midnight, no one was either scheduled for breaks or meals. It gave the clean up crew a chance to clean things this way. The room was spotless. Ordering herbal tea to help unwind them, they sat in a corner booth. Christine preferred booths to tables. They were more intimate to cozy conversation. They sat in an odd silence for a moment. Then Amanda asked, "So, how long have you served aboard this ship?"

"Hmm, three point....oh, about three years I think. I came aboard before Dr. McCoy arrived."

Amanda digested that. "So, you’ve worked with Spock a great deal. You are working on an experiment with him at any rate?"

Christine nodded," He considers me as an auxiliary chem lab researcher. That is my field of study-- bio-chemistry."

Spock’s mother furrowed her eyebrows together, "Then why are you here as a nurse?"

Christine sighed. She had explained her presence so many times it was getting annoying. Still, Amanda was just curious, not nosy. So she began her tale.

By the time she finished, Amanda had taken her hand and squeezed it lightly, "I’m sorry."

Two human women from vastly different backgrounds with one common interest sat silent in the night. They didn’t need words or even actions to convey the meaning in their emotions. Amanda could understand Christine’s pain even though she’d never been through it. The younger woman’s eyes were so revealing. It was as if she could read everything that was there, her love for Spock, the loss of Roger Korby, the fact that she was at an impasse in her life. She decided to change the subject. "Tell me about Spock, what it’s like to work with him, what he does..."

Christine smiled slowly. Oh yes, the way her face brightened, that was the ticket... "Mr. Spock...he’s stubborn, sometimes downright pig-headed."

Amanda interrupted, "He gets that from his father. I believe there is a new level of pig-headed and that is Vulcan-headed..."

The two laughed at that one. The mood was happy again. "He is kind, tender, very deep. He hurts. He also tries very hard not to smile."

Amanda nodded. So her son was not a good actor. It gave her pleasure to know this. "Good. He needs to smile. He has been trying to eradicate that part of me for 30 years now. If I know humans, he won’t succeed."

They talked and talked until it was almost 0300. At Christine’s yawn, they both knew they had better go to bed or there’d be hell to pay in the morning. Christine was scheduled to be back in by 0800 anyway. Amanda could sleep as late as she wanted, but she intended to be there before Spock was released. Amanda walked Christine to her quarters before heading for her own. It was comforting to know that Spock was loved the way Amanda loved him. She wouldn’t have to worry about him as much now.

End


End file.
